HIL Engineer

Vastika Inc; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Vastika Inc. in Palo Alto is seeking experienced HIL Engineers for multiple openings on a 6-12+ month contract, onsite.

The team builds and validates Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop environments for automotive systems, and seeks engineers who can own projects from initial setup through system integration and validation. Ideal candidates have 4–5+ years of HIL experience, hands-on with dSPACE, MATLAB/Simulink, and CAN/LIN/Ethernet interfaces, and a track record of standing up HIL systems from scratch.

Qualifications

• 4–5+ years of HIL engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience building or standing up a HIL system from scratch.
• Strong hands-on with dSPACE and system-level validation environments.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and deploy HIL systems from scratch
• Translate system requirements into test plans and validation strategies
• Perform electrical integration and wiring schematics
• ECU I/O mapping and vehicle communications (CAN/LIN/Ethernet)
• Develop and maintain MATLAB/Simulink models
• Execute test development, automation, and debugging
• Support system-level validation and issue triage
• Collaborate across systems, controls, and hardware teams

Skills

HIL engineering

dSPACE

CANoe

CANalyzer

MATLAB/Simulink

System validation

Tools

dSPACE

Vector CANoe

Vector CANalyzer

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

Title

HIL Engineer (Multiple openings)

Location

Palo Alto, CA – -5 days onsite (Local Only)

Duration

6-12+ Months Contract

Interview Mode

Video

Job Description

wants them to have direct domain experience in one of the following. That is where we have missed. We are sending HIL Engineers but not with the direct domain experience

• Low Voltage Systems (highest priority)
• Body control
• Power distribution (e.g., electronic fuses)
• Motion Controls / Vehicle Dynamics
• Thermal Systems
• Zone Architecture environments

leading automotive engineering organization is expanding its Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) validation capability and is actively seeking experienced HIL Engineers to support the buildout of multiple new systems.

This role requires hands‑on ownership of HIL environments, from initial setup through system integration and validation. The ideal candidate brings deep, practical experience and can immediately contribute in a fast‑paced, highly technical environment.

This is not an entry-level or general test role—we are specifically looking for engineers who have built or stood up HIL systems from the ground up.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and deploy HIL systems from scratch
• Translate system requirements into test plans and validation strategies
• Perform Electrical Integration, Including
• Wiring schematics
• ECU I/O mapping
• Configure And Integrate Vehicle Communication Interfaces
• CAN, LIN, Ethernet
• Develop and maintain MATLAB / Simulink models
• Execute test development, automation, and debugging
• Support system‑level validation and issue triage
• Collaborate across systems, controls, and hardware teams

Required Qualifications (Must Have)

• 4–5+ years of HIL engineering experience
• Demonstrated experience building or standing up a HIL system from scratch

Strong Hands‑on Experience With

• dSPACE (required)
• Experience working in system‑level validation environments

Technical Environment

• Core Tools
• dSPACE (required)
• Vector tools (CANoe, CANalyzer – preferred)
• Modeling
• MATLAB / Simulink
• Interfaces
• CAN
• LIN
• Ethernet

Preferred Experience Areas

• Low Voltage Systems (high priority)
• Body control
• Power distribution (e.g., electronic fuses)
• Vehicle Motion Controls / Dynamics
• Thermal Systems
• Zone Architecture

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with vehicle diagnostics
• Prior role/title as a HIL Engineer

Background In Highly Hands‑on Programs Such As

• Automotive research or prototype programs
• Competitive engineering teams (Formula SAE, etc.)

What Success Looks Like

Strong Candidates Can Clearly Explain

• A HIL system they have built or owned end‑to‑end
• Including
• Requirements gathering
• Test planning
• Electrical integration (wiring, I/O mapping)
• System architecture decisions
• Modeling approach (MATLAB/Simulink)
• Execution and validation strategy

Candidates lacking this depth of ownership will not be a fit.

Additional Details

• High urgency—candidates must be able to ramp quickly
• Opportunity to support multiple system builds with potential for ongoing work
• Exposure to next-generation vehicle architectures and validation environments